There are people in this world, who have never taken any blame for their miserable existence and they need somebody to blame.

The Nancy Ong’s of this world are ideal.

Minority group, tick, Woman, tick, older person, tick, rides an ‘‘electric scooter’’ double tick. Live alone, tick. Unable to fight back, tick! Nobody of any authority willing to give any worth while help. tick. These people can do what they like to the Nancy Ong’s of this world and walk away scott free.

The people that could help you will be out somewhere marching.

Chest puffed out to emphasis the colour of whatever ribbon, of whatever cause, they are supporting today.

Getting their photos taken and making ponderous statements, they they have no intention of keeping.

I really am sorry Nancy.

You’ve taken more than 24 years of crap. There is no logic in what is happening to you.

You don’t deserve it, but that is how today’s society works.

The people targeting you are leaving everybody else alone and the majority are content with that.

If you watch a pack of hyenas pull down an animal out of a herd, the rest of the herd trot away content to sacrifice one of the herd for the safety of the majority. This is Australia today.

— P Carter, Benalla

Thank you Maryrose

NEMA has announced the completion of the contract of the temporary acting business manager.

Ms Maryrose McCue took over the reins of the North East Multicultural Association when the former staff had resigned through necessity because of the loss of funding.

Maryrose, who is eminently qualified and experienced in leading a volunteer-based, not-for-profit organisation, generously volunteered her time in the beginning and worked without payment for more than six months.

We are very grateful for her generosity and are very thankful for her dedication and commitment to re-establishing the association on a sound business and financial footing.

Maryrose was appointed to the position at a time of crisis, but 18 months later, it was reported at our recent AGM that we are now in a sound business model and the auditor reported that our financial team has done an amazing job of establishing a secure and safe financial situation.

The fundraising program initiated by Maryrose has become an established part of our regular diary of events, while the regular systems and programs have been shown to benefit our clients and all our volunteer office staff.

North East Multicultural Association is an inclusive, non-denominational association that is the voice of multiculturalism in the North East welcoming people from all cultures, heritages, languages and faiths, but we were particularly pleased that Maryrose, who was born in the United States became an Australian citizen during her time as the acting business manager.

Maryrose is now moving on to the next phase of her life and we wish her well in all her endeavours.

— Susan Ingleton, president, North East Multicultural Association

We demand a strong reply

The Turnbull Government has broken the first nations’ hearts and brought shame on us all as Australians by rejecting the request for a voice to the parliament from the Uluru Statement.

A voice to the Parliament was all they asked.

We call on the people of Benalla to do more than fly the Indigenous flag outside our Civic Centre (Mair St) and mumble a watered down Acknowledgement of Country statement at every council meeting.

Now is the time to call on our government and opposition to do more to bring about reconciliation.

To that end we propose a public meeting to be led by our council and held in one of our large meeting areas to which we invite Australia’s leading Aboriginal voices, such as Noel Pearson and others, so that we put a strong country voice to remedy this situation.

Let us the people of Benalla show we care about this rejection and that we demand a strong reply to this action by the Turnbull Government.

— Carol Marple, Godfrey Marple, Benalla

Concert of high standard

After going to the concert at the Benalla Art Gallery on Sunday, October 22, I had fully expected to read a truly glowing report in The Ensign.

I am most surprised to find that this hasn’t occurred, and hence this letter now.

The ‘‘Quartz’’ quartet, which performed are young and professional and the recital was of a standard which is not frequently heard in Benalla.

It was a pity that there were not more people in the audience and those who didn’t come missed a real treat.

To hear this quality of playing without going down to Melbourne and paying a high price is remarkable.

The quartet was particularly brilliant in their rendering of the Smetana quartet, a piece which I was not familiar with — until now.

In this work it is the viola that takes the principal part instead of the first violin, and the player made the most of this opportunity, attacking the work with verve, strength and understanding.

She was ably backed up by the cello who also plays a greater part in this work than usual.

It was interesting to note later that Smetana was going blind when he wrote this piece in 1876 and that for him it represented his past life.

He wrote one other quartet after this, which, perhaps, we might hear in the future in Benalla given by the ‘‘Quartz’’.